This small pale gull was at Aurora Reservoir near Denver, Colorado, in the late afternoon on Saturday, January 11, 2014. Photos were digiscoped between 3:15 and 3:45 pm from the east end of the dam, looking south to the edge of the ice shelf. In the field, we all (8 birders) assumed it was a Kumlien's Gull because of its paleness and dainty, petite size. Because of the pale bill base, and the splotchiness of the scapulars, I presumed 2nd-cycle (2nd year of life, 3rd calenday year).
Some of these digiscoped photos were underexposed, making the feathers appear darker than real life.
